Route: Lord’s Seat and Barf
Area: North Western Lake District
Date of walk: 22nd July 2015
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 7.1 miles
Ascent: 1,600 feet
Weather: Cloudy at start but gradually cleared
I parked in the visitor car park at Whinlatter (“England’s only true Mountain Forest”). I popped into the visitor centre to see how the ospreys are faring – there’s a webcam trained on their nest near Bassenthwaite Lake – and it was good to see that it’s been a successful year so far
I then set out along the waymarked trail which leads to Seat How. After some easy uphill walking, with limited views on account of the afforestation, I turned off the Seat How track to follow a narrower path to the summit of Lord’s Seat, leaving the forest below me as I did so
After enjoying the pleasant view from Lord’s Seat, I made the down and up to the less romantically named Barf, crossing some squelchy terrain between the two. The view from Barf is better, in my opinion at least, than that from its neighbour, and the view along Bassenthwaite Lake is particularly good
I descended from Barf along a narrow track and then joined one of the wide paths leading through Whinlatter Forest back to the visitor centre to round off an very enjoyable outing
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Entrance to the visitor centre at the top of Whinlatter Pass, a Mecca for masochistic cyclists
Ospreywatch
On with the walk, and I follow the green waymarks - ‘Seat How Summit Trail’
An easy path zigzags up through the forest
The views are obscured by trees most of the way, but here is one of Keswick and Clough Head
I thought I might see a deer or a red squirrel but wasn’t expecting to encounter a Gruffalo
Wildflowers along the way
Nearly above the tree line now, with the Irish Sea in the distance
Open fellside ahead
Path to the summit of Lord’s Seat
Bassenthwaite Lake, with the Solway Firth and Scotland in the distance
Looking along the Whinlatter Pass into Lorton Vale
From the summit, looking along the ascent path towards Grizedale Pike centre of picture
Keswick and the long spine of the Eastern Fells
Next stop Barf, basking in the sun
A view back to Lord’s Seat from the path to Barf
Bassenthwaite Lake from the summit of Barf, looking towards Scotland
Keswick and Derwent Water from the same spot
Looking down the very steep eastern face of Barf to Blackstock Point and the A66
Head of Bassenthwaite Lake - I wonder if the ospreys are hunting for fish down there?
Skiddaw
A last look at Derwent Water before I head down
I follow the path down to Beckstones Gill, then pick up the forest track in the distance
Crossing Beckstones Gill
Forest track back to the start
Derwent Water
Back to the start - the Osprey Sculpture at Whinlatter Visitor Centre
